Place of Remembrance
by KuriTessy
Summary: Love can be a powerful force. A force which unwillingly pulls Chihiro back into the spirit world. While struggling with her relationship with Haku, she soon discovers that the spirit world is much more dangerous than she had ever imagined.


Title: Place of Remembrance  
  
Author: Kuri Tessy  
  
Feedback: Yes, please!  
  
Pairings: Chihiro/Haku  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
  
  
Warnings: Romance  
  
Disclaimer: Spirited Away, characters, and other nice things don't belong to me. It's sad, but true. Hayao Miyazaki is truly brilliant, and I have no claim on that. ^_^  
  
Notes: My first fanfiction of Spirited Away. In fact, this whole subject is entirely new for me. So, sit tight and bear w/ me. :D Read and enjoy.  
  
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Place of Remembrance  
  
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Chapter One: Carry Me Away  
  
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The tiny room was filled with the sound of a furiously scribbling pencil and the squeaks of an eraser. Dim sunlight entered through the only window and failed to properly light the room.   
  
The room consisted of a futon, closet, and a dresser. A small desk from which to study from was set against a bare wall and papers were haphazardly strewn about. A young woman slumped over the papers, concentrating hard on her task.  
  
Only as the sunlight faded and darkness filled the room did the young woman stop her furious writing. She stretched her arms and stood up. Her essay still wasn't finished, but it would have to suffice for now.   
  
Chihiro Ogino was now nineteen and was attending a university in Iwakuni. She was a hard working student, but more often she had been distracted from her studies.   
  
It wasn't that she was slacking, but something had been tugging at the back of her mind for the past few weeks. She couldn't identify what it was, but it was there.  
  
At first she had contributed the change in her was caused by stress. She definitely had enough of it. But, stress wouldn't make her ignore her professor and stare outside the window at the Nishiki River. Hours upon hours Chihiro would watch the gentle flow of the river and imagine that she was down at its banks.  
  
Truthfully, Chihiro had never been the outdoor type. So, why then the sudden fascination with the river and its surroundings? Perturbed by her actions, Chihiro had yet to pay a visit to the river.  
  
Chihiro readied herself for bed and slipped under her futon's covers. A small sigh of contentment escaped her lips. Tomorrow she would stop resisting the river's call and participate in the Nishiki River Water festival. She could use the break from the constant strain of school.  
  
Chihiro sighed yet again. Some hidden part of her yearned to be near the water. Even her dreams for the past nine years had been filled with visions of water. Oddly enough, the same young boy was always there in her dreams.  
  
Every time the mysterious boy would be right beside her. He would watch her with eyes filled with wisdom. His very presence emanated protectiveness. But, that made sense because Haku had always protected her.  
  
The long expanse of a river would stretch out before her and the young boy would grab her small hand and lead her across to the other side. Never once did they fall beneath the water.   
  
Without fail, Chihiro's dream self would be frightened of walking across the water, but the Haku lead her to safety time and time again. She didn't know what it all meant. But, the dreams were a source of comfort to her and had been over the years.   
  
Chihiro stilled her thoughts, not wanting to stay up all night by her thinking. After all, tomorrow would be a very eventful day and she would need all of her energy. Tomorrow was the day of the festival, and she would enjoy it!  
  
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(Next Day)  
  
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Chihiro was immensely enjoying herself. Already there had been a treasure hunt and now people were bustling about at the booths along the river bank. The smell of cooking yakitori wafted through the air and Chihiro smiled in contentment.  
  
Her life had been filled with one life altering change to another. First, she had moved from her home town into the suburbs when she was ten, then her parents had divorced, and now she was faced with the life of a university student. For once it was to enjoy the things around her and simply forget about everything else.  
  
The constant rushing of people around her had started to wear her down though and Chihiro started to search for an open area to sit. The river banks were completely full with celebrating people so she looked elsewhere.   
  
Chihiro's wandering eyes scanned the riverside and noticed that there were relatively few people on the Kintai Bridge over the river. Decided that the bridge would be a good place to watch the upcoming fireworks and the Taiko drummers, she started to make her way up to the structure.  
  
By the time she had climbed the flight of stairs leading up to the bridge Chihiro was a bit out of breath. She soon recovered and watched in awe as magnificent fireworks lit the sky.  
  
Chihiro noticed the reflection of the light show on the water. Bursts of light collided with ripples, causing waves of color to fan across the river. Chihiro was taken aback by the simple show of beauty and leaned precariously over the railing.  
  
As she was leaning across a passerby was also admiring the fireworks and their head was titled back to watch the show. They didn't see Chihiro as the person stumbled and forcefully bumped into her.   
  
Chihiro abruptly lost her balance and screamed in terror as she felt the railing slide beneath her and felt gravity take a hold of her. She helplessly watched as the river loomed before her and she fell towards its awaiting depths. Onlookers gasped as they watched the girl's descent into the Nashiki.  
  
She hit the surface of the water hard and the impact knocked the wind out her. The water was cool but the river was deep, and as she sank it quickly became icy.   
  
Chihiro mentally screamed and sluggishly waved her arms as she tried to swim towards the surface. Her body betrayed her and her limbs soon grew tired. Chihiro morosely thought to herself that is wasn't surprising, she had never been a good swimmer.   
  
But, it was disconcerting how it felt like there was an invisible weight was pushing her down, further to her death. The bottom of the Nishiki welcomed the struggling young woman.  
  
Her terror was soon replaced with a settling calm when she realized that she was only dropping further down and not getting anywhere closer to the top of the water. Air bubbles escaped from her mouth and her heart slowly beat from within her chest.  
  
The dancing lights from the fireworks couldn't be seen from the murky depth at which was at. Only a consuming darkness filled her vision. Her lungs started to burn as her limited oxygen supply ran out.   
  
Weakness filled her veins as she tiredly closed her eyes. She couldn't fight it anymore. She was going to die. Her last breath escaped her and Chihiro slipped into darkness.  
  
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(Meanwhile, at Aburaya/Spirit World)  
  
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The bath house's corridors were shrouded in darkness. However, within minutes lamps were magically lit and the surroundings came alive. Several Yuna scurried to and fro, preparing the bath house for its customary night visitors.  
  
Rin was just on her way to attend to her usual duties when she turned a corner and walked right into a pile of...something on the floor.  
  
"I tell you what, nobody can do their job properly here anymore!" Rin threw up her hands in exasperation and grumbled as she bent down to pick up the pile.  
  
The pile proved to be heavier than she first thought and Rin's forehead furrowed in frustration. She decided to have a better look at whatever she was picking up and left to quickly obtain a lamp.  
  
The light shown upon the pile and allowed Rin to properly see what she had walked into. She soon dropped the lamp in shock. What she thought was a pile of clothes and what not what definitely not that. It was a human! And a wet one at that.  
  
She turned the human over and looked into its face. The human was female and she didn't look like she was in very good condition. Rin debated what to do. She could report the human's appearance to Yu-Baaba. Or, she could attempt to revive the girl and send her on her way to Kamajii.   
  
Either way, she would need to make her decision fast and before any of the other Yuna happened to walk by and discover the human.  
  
Rin's internal debate with herself was interrupted by Haku's fortunate arrival. His eyes quickly assessed the situation and quickly knelt down by the human's side. He gently wiped the young woman's bangs from her forehead and peered into her face.  
  
He closed his eyes in concentration and laid a hand upon her heart. Nothing happened for a moment and Rin found herself to be fidgeting nervously. However, within a few seconds the girl was forcibly racked by her own coughs as her body expelled the excess water in her lungs.  
  
Haku pulled her up to a sitting position so that she wouldn't choke and braced her with his hand on her back as her body continued to struggle to take in air. Eventually her coughs subsided and she wearily leaned against him.  
  
Rin let out a breath of air that she hadn't realized she had been holding. So, the human was going to be all right after all. Well, for the time being. She knew from experience how dangerous it could be for a human to be in the spirit world. Only a few had ever returned to the human world.  
  
In fact, the last human to have done so was a girl by the name of Chihiro Ogino. Better known to Rin and the rest of the staff as Sen. Times at the bath house had been boring and repetitive since she had left. The same old, same old.  
  
Rin's attention returned to the matter at hand as an uncharacteristic growl escaped from Haku. He was searching the human's face with a look of guilt and suppressed joy. The two conflicting emotions struggled against one another and resulted in an altogether tormented look.  
  
Rin curiously noticed her companion's strange behavior and shrugged. She didn't really understand how a random human could cause Haku to act so oddly. She was about to ask what they were going to do with her when he suddenly stood up with the girl in his arms.  
  
The young woman was still weak, and barely coherent. She didn't protest as she was pulled off the ground. In fact, she seemed to lean towards Haku as if she already trusted him.  
  
"Look into her face. Do you recognize her?"   
  
Rin obeyed his request and studied the human before her. She was young, but could possibly be in her twenties. She sported a simply ponytail and her wet bangs hung limply before her eyes. Her frame was slightly bird-like, with long legs that limply tried to hold her weight.   
  
What caught her attention was her eyes. They were a familiar honey brown. She had seen those same eyes before. A little girl with those eyes had once wormed her way into Rin's heart. Joy blossomed in her heart as soon as the recognition had set in.   
  
"Sen...no, Chihiro..."  
  
Haku nodded absently and the guilt that Rin had noticed before once again flashed through his eyes. He easily lifted Chihiro into his arms, supporting her weight with his arms beneath her knees and arms.   
  
"Return to work and I'll take care of her. She'll need to rest before we consider anything else."  
  
Rin openly frowned at this and protested, "But, what about Yu-Baaba, surely-"  
  
Haku stopped her with a slight glare and quickly left with Chihiro in his arms. Rin worriedly watched as he disappeared from her line of sight down a hallway. What concerned her was why was Chihiro back? And how would Yu-Baaba react to her return?  
  
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Haku had no idea where to keep Chihiro and decided upon his own quarters. He knew that it wasn't the safest place, but she needed a place to recover from the ordeal she had gone through. In addition, he needed to make sure that she didn't disappear as she almost had years before.  
  
He looked down at the young woman in his arms. In only a matter of nine years she had changed significantly. Nine years to him was the same as a minute in time to a human. Just the other day he had looked into her child-like face.  
  
However, she was a child no longer. That much was apparent. But of course, humans aged and immortals remained indifferent to time. Haku memorized her features, replacing the image before him with that of the Chihiro he knew from the past. She was still as precious to him as before.  
  
He carefully laid her upon his futon and left to retrieve a towel to dry her with. Whereas Rin was confused as to why Chihiro was wet, Haku knew exactly why. He had been the one to cause her fall.  
  
Well, that wasn't entirely true. But, to his guilt ridden mind it seemed like he had. For the past nine years Haku had never forgotten of their promise. He would see her again. He had to. It wasn't difficult for him to use his powers and briefly enter her dreams and he did so quite frequently.  
  
In her dreams he was able to see her, although he was limited as to what he could do. After all, they were her dreams and not his. She seemed content to have him lead her across a river. The visions seemed to calm her and Haku realized that they did the same to him as well.  
  
However, he soon found that he desired her presence in real life and not as only part of his mind. His contract with Yu-Baaba was due to expire, but he had yet to fully complete it. When he did, he would finally be free. Free to see her.  
  
But, he had been selfish and too hasty. Last week Yu-Baaba had sent him on a particularly dirty mission. To the south a new bath house by the name of Mokuki had started to give Yu-Baaba and Aburaya a run for its money. Worried about losing profits, he had been sent by the greedy crone to sabotage Mokuki. Nevertheless, he hadn't escaped unharmed.  
  
Surrounded in his own blood and loneliness, Haku had made a wish. A wish that he had unknowingly granted for himself with his own power. On that night he had wished to have Chihiro returned to him. While his mind was consumed with pain all that he could remember was the last time he had been seriously injured and that she had been there to take away his agony.   
  
It had been a simple wish, more a plea than anything else. But at the time he had only wanted her beside him...   
  
He had recovered and hadn't thought of it again. Not until tonight when he had faced the consequences of his wish. It had never occurred to him that she would actually be physically brought to him.  
  
Now his selfishness meant that she had been brought back to the spirit world against her will. He had watched in her own mind's eye as she had been pulled down by the river. He had felt her terror as she struggled to swim towards life.  
  
He was disgusted with himself and his own helplessness. If only he hadn't been so weak than she wouldn't be in this situation! She shouldn't have had to go through all of that. She wouldn't have almost died!   
  
He had failed her. And now that she had been returned to him, he would do everything in his power to return her to the human world. It was the least he could do after all he had already put her through.   
  
A slight moan broke through his reverie as Chihiro's eyes fluttered open. Haku's heart raced in a brief moment of panic but he quickly composed himself. He would tell her what happened and would wordlessly accept the hate that she would feel towards him.  
  
Chihiro's lungs burned and her body ached as if it had been bashed about for a few hours. Memories slowly returned to her and she gasped as she remembered the plunge she had taken into the river. But, she was alive! At least, she felt like she was...  
  
She looked around at her surroundings and felt a small pang of nostalgia. Why did she feel like she was somewhere she had been before? Her observation of the room stopped short as her gaze settled upon the young man before her.  
  
"Haku..."  
  
She leapt up from his futon and staggered into his arms. A small sob hitched through her as she realized that she was reunited with the one person she had yearned to see for nine long years. How good it was to see him!  
  
Strong arms surrounded her frame and Chihiro slightly leaned back to see the changes Haku had undergone. Her expressive eyes widened further as she took in his appearance. He was a young man, no longer a boy.  
  
"Why have you aged?"  
  
Chihiro wanted to slap herself on the head for asking that question. After nine years and not being able to speak to him and the first thing she did was ask him why he'd aged!! She couldn't believe herself!  
  
A slight smile settled upon Haku's features. He understood why she would ask such a question. He was immortal, and therefore didn't progress through the normal maturing cycle of humans. He was thousands of years old, but why should he look like it if he had the ability to change how he looked?  
  
When he had first met Chihiro he had changed himself to appear as a boy around her age. He did so knowing that Chihiro would trust him more easily. And at that time, if she hadn't been able to trust him he wouldn't have been able to help her. Most likely she would have continued to simply disappear.   
  
Now that she had grown and matured, he didn't feel the need to stay in the form of a boy any longer. It was only appropriate that he was now a young man.  
  
"I can change my appearance. Would you rather me look like I once did?"   
  
A slight blush settled upon Chihiro's features and she stared at him for a few minutes. He took that as a sign that she approved of his change.  
  
He was amused by her sudden shyness but reminded himself of the issue at hand. She was not supposed to be here and he had caused that. He could not continue with the charade that everything was fine and dandy. He needed to tell her...  
  
Chihiro placed her hand upon his and searched his eyes. He appeared troubled and that bothered her. Their meeting was not supposed to be depressing, but joyous! She helplessly watched as all the warmth left his eyes and his attitude became detached and cold.   
  
The young woman bit her lip. His sudden actions reminded her a lot of the time he had been 'Master Haku.' His closed off behavior had hurt her then, and it was no different now.  
  
Unknown to Chihiro, Haku had adopted the impersonal aura to shield himself from what he was about to do. He couldn't stand the thought of her despising him, but surely she would after he informed her why she was here. Self-hatred consumed him as he thought of his actions.  
  
"Haku, where am I?"  
  
With Chihiro's timid question Haku stiffened even more. He stood up and quickly put distance between them. Chihiro hung her head as he did this. Why was he treating her this way?  
  
Haku's blank eyes burned through her own as he relayed the tale of how she was brought back into the spirit world. First she had felt confusion, disbelief, and finally just shock. After he had finished Haku had turned away, his back facing her.  
  
Not wanting to face her rejection, Haku curtly said, "I will take you to Yu-Baaba now. Whether or not you will be forced to stay depends on how she judges the circumstances. Follow me."  
  
Chihiro dejectedly followed him outside of his quarters as he lead her throughout the bathhouse. His story had shed some light as to why he was acting impersonal towards her.   
  
She realized that he must be feeling horribly for causing her to return to the spirit world. She still hadn't come to terms with all of it and was still slightly disconcerted with the recent turn of events. However, she knew that in her heart she had already forgiven him.  
  
Chihiro knew that she would eventually have to straighten things out with him. But, now she was more worried about Yu-Baaba's reaction to her arrival. The owner of the bathhouse wouldn't make her stay indefinitely, would she?  
  
Exquisite towering oak doors soon loomed before her and she raised her hand towards the bewitched knocker. Wary that it might start to talk, Chihiro quickly rapped it a few times against the door.  
  
The doors immediately opened and Haku entered beside her. She gathered her courage as she had in the past and stepped forward. Soon, her questions and fears would be answered.  
  
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Kuri's note: Do you like? I was trying to make it seem semi-realistic...the whole thing with Haku might be a bit confusing. Please review and tell me what you think. If I've made any mistakes w/ character names, etc., feel free to comment on it. Thanx for reading! :D 


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